Armenian fire targeted civilians in Aghdam region

The Armenian Armed Forces fired on civilians who were going to a funeral near the contact line of the Azerbaijani and Armenian troops in Aghdam, the regional Kanal S quoted Mirashelli villagers as saying on March 13.

This incident was confirmed by the chairman of the Ahmadaghali municipality Habil Abbasov. The enemy troops fired on civilians at a cemetery where they were attending the funeral of Novruz Guliyev, who died on March 12, he said.

Abbasov said that the cemetery is fully visible from the enemy`s side. There is no report of dead or injured. Residents had to take cover for some time before they were able to bury Guliyev.

Today's visit of villagers to their friends and relatives graves in this cemetery, on the eve of Novruz, was otherwise observed without incident. People visiting the cemetery on the eve of Novruz are shot each year.

As the cemetery is located at 200-250 meters from the front line, it has been fired on in the past resulting in deaths and injuries of people.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the U.S. are currently holding peace negotiations.Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.